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About Us

Escape Campervans USA was founded in 2009 by Rob Mewton, an entrepreneur/surfer/traveler from New Zealand who made his way to the US and brought a part of his culture with him – campervans. Today we have 10 locations, over 450 vans, and the same adventurous spirit that started this whole journey. Want the long version? Here’s our story:

THE BEGINNINGS

Escape Rentals New Zealand was established in 2003 by 3 good friends, Peter, Mike and Andrew who saw an opportunity to offer a product with a difference.

We figured that not all people wanted to hire a motorhome and effectively take away their living room on holiday, but would instead prefer to get away from everyday life and enjoy the great outdoors. Hence the name ‘Escape’ was created.

We also realized that people wanted to go away, enjoy the culture, sights, and delights of a country without having to sell body parts to pay for their campervan holiday.

THE ESCAPE EXPERIENCE

We developed a product that seemingly offered the bare essentials, but at the same time delivered absolutely everything you needed to travel and explore a country safely, comfortably, cheaply and uniquely. Add in some of our local knowledge and travel tips, and you’ve got a trip of a lifetime, guaranteed.

We not only wanted to offer a high-quality product with excellent customer service and support, but also wanted our clients to embrace the Escape spirit by converting a boring white van into a work of art.

THE SPECIAL SAUCE

The decision to sand all the clear coat off a new van and then have artists cover them in paint was not a decision we took lightly.

It was a frightening thing to be trying this concept that had not been tested before…our mates thought we were crazy. The artwork on the campers goes a lot further than just making you feel cool on the road, it acts as an interaction piece for our clients when they are traveling and allows them to mix not only with other travelers, but also more closely with locals.

Turns out, people love the artwork. Customers fall in love with their van (it quickly becomes their best friend) and bystanders notice them too. The feedback our clients gave us after their campervan trip reinforced the initial crazy idea as being a pretty good one.

CROSSING THE POND

In 2009, with Rob as the fearless leader, Escape Campervans USA launched with the learnings and experience gathered from the NZ operation.

With our Los Angeles location as our US starting point, we’ve continued to grow year after year, continually working to refine our van designs, improve our customer service, and exceed customer expectations. We look forward to opening new locations each year to offer more adventurous possibilities for locals and international visitors alike.

After 14+ years of experience in the industry, we’re proud to say we have looked after tens of thousands of happy campers from all over the globe.